{the little things}

Tonight’s conversation at bedtime:

Bubba:  “Mommy, you (pats bed beside him).”

Mommy: “Bubba, Mommy needs to go clean the kitchen.”

Bubba: “No, Mommy, you (again pats bed beside him).”

********I thought I might also mention that although my son is two and a half years old, he has a speech delay and so a lot of our conversations go something like this – the 3-word-phrases.  We’ve made significant progress in the past 3 months of speech therapy – but his delay sometimes makes him seem younger than he actually is.********

When my son asked me tonight (for the second time) to lay down with him, I immediately crawled under the covers with him.  He then took my hand and started patting himself with it ~ a signal to me that he wanted me to pat his back.

Of course, I obliged.

And as I layed there beside my son listening to his breathing slow and the tiny little snoring sounds begin, I paused for a moment to pray.

How many times during the day do my children come to me to show me something that to the average adult is mundane, but is completely magical in the eyes of a child?  And how often are they given the response of, “Not now, I’m busy”….or something of the like??

Why are we always so busy?  Why are we so stressed that we can’t enjoy the little things in life as seen through the eyes of a child?

It seems like there are always dishes to be done, laundry to be done, chores to be done, errands to be run……..so much “doing” and not enough “being”.  Being present in our own lives and in the lives of our children.

As our children grow more and more everyday right before our very eyes, we need to pause and remember that although some days feel unending and frazzle us to our cores, our “babies” will grow up and one day they won’t need us to lay down with them, and pat their backs while they drift off to sleep.  These moments are precious and fleeting and will be gone before we know it.  Let us treasure each and every one while they are still here.

Lord, I pray that I will be more mindful of my words to my children and that I will not just be another observer of their journey, but will LIVE this life with them and truly enjoy each and every opportunity to experience the joy and magic of the everyday “little things.”